Sebastian Vettel’s exit from Ferrari at the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season is now official. So, what comes next for the Maranello team? The biggest questions raised by the sensational development is who will replace Sebastian Vettel in one of the most coveted seats in the sport.
The dynamic at Maranello shifted dramatically over the course of 2019 when Charles Leclerc proved even more competitive in his first season with the team than anyone expected.
Ferrari and the wider world always knew he was good, but from the off he outpaced Vettel regularly in qualifying, often outraced him, and made fewer critical mistakes. And he was not shy when it came to asserting himself, both on and off track. And he did it all with a style and flair that endeared him to everyone in the camp.
In signing him up to a five-year deal Ferrari made it crystal clear that the Monegasque driver represented the future of the team.
With Sebastian Vettel’s current contract expiring at the end of 2020 there was always going to be an intriguing debate between the team and the four-time world champion, the situation then made more complex by the sport going into hiatus.
Ferrari had to decide – assuming the prime choice was indeed to extend Seb’s deal – for how long they wanted to keep him, while keeping a close watch on younger drivers who like, Charles Leclerc, represent the future. Given that many contracts expire this year, one goal Ferrari wanted to achieve was clarity at a relatively early stage, to not be left in the autumn in a situation where the most desirable candidates were committed elsewhere for the long term.
Realistically there are three main names on the Ferrari list to replace Sebastian Vettel at the end of the 2020 Formula One season: Antonio Giovinazzi, Carlos Sainz, and Daniel Ricciardo.
The first is a Ferrari protege and officially the reserve driver, and it would be logical to see him follow the Charles Leclerc route by moving over from Alfa Romeo. He had a difficult start to his 2019 season, but he put in some strong showings later in the year.
However his relative lack of experience counts against him, notwithstanding the fact that Charles made the move after one year.
Over the winter he made a huge effort to raise his game, and was really expecting to outrun Raikkonen in 2020 – but the lack of races means that he hasn’t had that vital chance to gain mileage and show what he can do against Kimi. The upside for him is that he is already in the camp, and he isn’t going anywhere else.
Ricciardo and Sainz are both ideal Ferrari candidates – their faces just seem to fit.
Long mentioned in connection with Ferrari, the Australian is older, has more experience, and is a proven race winner, while Sainz had a great season in 2019, and is getting better and better.
But both men bring similar assets in terms of speed and all-round talent. They are also good team players who could gel with Leclerc and survive in the difficult Ferrari environment.
Ricciardo also has the benefit of having shown back in 2014 that he could take on and beat Vettel – that’s a useful thing to have on his CV.
The two men have followed similar career trajectories, with their paths crossing several times. If Sainz does leave McLaren then Ricciardo – who nearly joined the team before – would be an ideal replacement in the Woking camp.
One thing is for sure – there might not be much F1 action on track at the moment, but there will be much going on behind the scenes. And you can be pretty sure that one Fernando Alonso will also make his interest in the Ferrari seat known…
